HHII SSTTOORRIICCAA LL LLYY JJEE FF FF CCOO The Early People of the Foothills Page 10 T H E J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y H I S T O R I C A L Photo above, part of Colorado Railroad Museum’s collection, shows the depot in Como c. 1900 (see story page 34) COMMISSION MEMBERS Jack Raven Rita Peterson Deborah Andrews Delbert Bishop Kris Christensen Donald E. Ebner JCHC 1997. Chair. JCHC 1981. Vice JCHC 2000. JCHC 2000. JCHC 1998. Master of JCHC 1990. Hall of Past Recording Chair 1999-2000 Historic Architect Retired U.S. Gov. Social Science UCD. Fame, Publications, Secretary. President: Chair, Procedures since 1983. Master Archivist, Former Place Names Arvada Historical & By-Laws of Architecture, Director Federal Historic Preservation Committees. Past Society, Arvada Committee. Vice 1985, UCD. Archives & Records Committees Vice Vice Chair, Past Lions Club & Chair, Budget and Historic Preserva- Center, Denver, Chair and Grants Chair, Hall of Fame, Arvada Cemetery Finance Committee, tion Committee Procedures & Applications Writers Awards, Association. past Editor of Bylaws committee Committee. Place Names, Grants, Safeway Manager Historically Jeffco. Historic Preservation 26 Years. Committees. Retired Executive. M I S S I O N JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION NEWS 2000 Phase I of the Cultural Resource Survey* in Unincorporated Jefferson County has been completed. JCHC gratefully acknowledges that funding was provided by a grant of $10,000 from the State Historical Fund (the gaming fund) of the Col- orado Historical Society and $5,000 from the County. The Colorado Historical SCIENTIFIC & CULTURAL Society — State JCHC is happy to announce that the Scientific and Cultural FACILITIES DIST R I C T Historical Fund Facilities District granted $4,600 as a partial cash match for Phase II of the Cultural Resource Survey to begin next year. The County will contribute $10,000 to this phase. That will allow the JCHC to apply for a grant of $40,000 from the State Historical Fund. The Education committee is working hard for teachers to introduce Jefferson County History to students of R-1 District public schools. The Grant committee received one grant application for review in 1999 from the Church of Transfiguration in Evergreen, which was awarded $30,000 by the State Historical Fund for restoration. A second application for $40,000 was received in September 2000 from the Chatfield Nature Preserve, the former Hildebrand Farm. The owner, Denver Botanic Gar- dens, wants to implement an interpretive plan for visitors to better understand the struc- tures, their uses, and the lifestyles of farmers in the area and in Colorado during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The committee welcomes applicants for various funding sources to request assistance or review of their applications before they go to the fund. The deadline for review is one month (30 days) before the deadline of each fund. The Historic Preservation committee is proud to announce the completion of Phase I of the Cultural Resource Survey* in the unincorporated areas of the county on buildings older than 50 years. This phase of the survey was conducted between November 1999 and Sep- tember 2000. Historic sites in the northeastern Plains of the unincorporated county and in the Lower Bear Creek Corridor between Morrison and Evergreen were visited, pho- tographed, and an inventory made. About 100 sites will be studied in detail during Phase II. The Cultural Resource Survey will provide information for a historic preservation resolution to be presented before the County Commissioners. The Historic Preservation committee and the Jefferson County Planning Department have developed a referral process on rural cluster developments. Whenever such a development is planned, the Planning Department will notify the JCHC and invite a (continued on page 45) *For more information about the Cultural Resource Survey please see page 30. Photo above courtesy of Cover photo courtesy of Colorado History Museum Colorado Railroad Museum Jane Munro Gardner Liz Priest Grady Jerry Grunska Vi Mae Hader Max W. Haug Erlene Hulsey-Lutz JCHC 1974. Twice JCHC 1981. Writers JCHC 1999. JCHC 1985. Hall JCHC 1997. JCHC since 1986; past chair and past Awards Committee Education of Fame and Year Historian, Historic Education, Grants, secretary, Hall of Chair, Procedures & Committee Chair, 2000 Committees. Preservation , Publications, Hall Fame, Place Names Bylaws Committee Vice Publications and Past Secretary/ Publications of Fame and Bylaws committees; Hall of Chair (JCHC -Parla- Writers Award Historian. Manager Distribution. Past Committees. Past Fame honoree 1993; mentarian), Hall of Committees. Retired of the Golden President :Olde Chair, Vice Chair, Woman of the Year Fame Committee. High School and Chamber of Town Arvada Assn., Secretary and Award 1990; Jeffco Cancer Crusade College English Commerce, past Forward Arvada, Historian. Real contributed to “From & Easter Seal Chair; instructor; author of Curator for the Arvada Community Estate Broker. 4th Scratch.” president Colorado sports books and Astor House Resources, and generation Symphony Guild. sports officiating Museum. Arvada Historical Coloradan. books. Society. Published by The Jefferson County Historical Commission Volume 13, Issue 21, 2000 CONTENT Pine Valley 4 Ranch Park Digging Up 10 Our. P. .ast . Snowbound 17 in the Rockies . Edgewater— 22 A. Roma. nce. Jefferson County Historic 28 Hall of Fame Leino Coors Carole Lomond Lawrence Lotito Marcetta Rhoades Norman Meyer Standish Penton Scott Pierson JCHC 1997. Nomi- JCHC 1999. Budget Lutz JCHC 1986. Place Jr., JCHC 1999. JCHC 1999. Edu- nating, Writers and Finance Com- JCHC 1987. Past Names, Writers Historic Preserva- cation Committee, Award and Place mittee, Recording Chair; Place Names Award and Grants tion and publica- Publication Distri- Names Committees; Secretary; B.A. in Committee chair; committees; Past tion committees. bution Committee publisher of City Chemistry, Math, Hall of Fame hon- Recording Secretary; Lives in Littleton Chair. Geography and Mountain Views, Meteorology and oree 1996; Com- Journalist, traveler, since 1994; owns degree; past mem- a news magazine for Physics; Weather mittee chair for pilot, photographer. Normandy Farms; ber Minnesota residents of Mt. Officer during WWII three Arvada histo- Conifer rancher Active in CO Historical Society. Vernon Canyon. in Europe; recalled ry books. since 1951. Native Horsemen’s Coun- to Korea. Retired as Coloradan. cil and the Denver Major in 1981. Long Westerners. civilian career in Europe and US. Cultural Resource Survey 30 Historical Museums in Jefferson County: . The. Hiw. .an . .Homes . .t ead. .Museum . 32. The Colorado Railroad Museum 34 The Hazel Humphrey Museum 36 Historic Designations in Jefferson County: . .Golden . .W . .elcome . Ar. c. h. 38. Queen of Heaven 39 Summer Camp Two Arvada 40 Historic Districts The. F. ederal. Cent. er. .42 . “Threatened” Historic Places The Alkire House 44 JCHC Publications Committee Milly Roeder, Chair; Standish Penton, Vice-Chair; Jerry Grunska, Erlene Hulsey-Lutz, Ruth Richardson Historically Jeffco Layout and Design by Fine Print Brochures & Photography Golden, CO 303.526.1969 Ruth Richardson Milly Roeder Kevin Eugene Rucker Richard Simmons JCHC Staff— JCHC Staff— JCHC 1983. His- JCHC 1995; editor JCHC 1997. Vice JCHC 1997. Bud- Duncan Susan toric Preservation, of Historically Jeff - Chair Place Names get and Finance McCollum, Casteleneto, Publication and co; Chair: Grants, Committee, Grants Committee Chair. Director, Secretary, Place Names Historic Preserva- Applications and Year Branch Manager Archives Archives Committees. tion, and Publica- 2000 Committees. and Principal for and Records and Records Active with local, tions Committees. History Sunamerica Securi- Management. Management. county and state Writer/Researcher; ties. Pilot and PTA. Member Jeff- History Flight Instructor. co Citizens for educator/writer area Public Schools. Community Colleges Wheat Ridge resi- and CU Denver. dent over 80 years Photo by Milly Roeder PINE VALLEY RANCH PARK By Dorothy J. Donovan Colorado historian Thomas J. wrought iron fixtures forged on William A. Baehr, president of a Noel wrote that “J.B. Benedict was site by local artisans, arched ceil- utilities company in Chicago, visit- a demanding architect who super- ings, hand-etched log paneling, rail- ed the area near the settlement of vised workmen closely. A flamboy- ings, and balconies. Two octagonal Pine, on the North Fork of the ant character, noted for inspecting roof towers, tall stone chimneys, South Platte River in 1925. Baehr buildings while wearing white and multiple steep-pitched gables decided to purchase land from gloves, he had designed some of graced the front of the building.”2 Charlie Eggert’s Ice Company to Denver’s grandest residences and In subsequent years, Mr. Baehr’s build a manor home, modeled churches,” among them a home foreman, Conrad Johnson, added after those he had known in Ger- for Herman F. Coors, the Chief more structures, including an many’s Black Forest. He engaged Hosa Lodge, the Waring House at observatory, a pagoda, an ice shed, Denver architect Jacques. B. Bene- the Denver Botanic Gardens, and a barn, a water wheel, and a gazebo dict, and ordered the place built in the Holy Ghost Catholic Church. tea house on the 1,731 acre proper- 1927. Baehr insisted on having it Benedict described the style of the ty. This complex became known as erected in rapid fashion. Hence, a $1.5 million Pine Valley Lodge as “Baehrden of the Rockies.” Mr. crew of builders worked around Colorado Alpine. It is said that Baehr wanted his property to com- the clock hauling rock, dynamiting Benedict and his crew of sixty men plement the scenic valley. stone, and sawing lumber to build took only ninety days to build the Readers will find Pine Valley what later became known as Pine 27-room lodge from local stone Ranch Park off County Road 126, Valley Lodge.1 and spruce, “complete with southeast of Pine Junction on U.S. -4- Highway 285 and a mile from the times due to machinations of fare was $1.50.